"Maintaining the status quo" is the core content and bottom line of the Taiwan Straits strategy of the United States.

Nevertheless, what the United States is implementing actually is a policy that deviates from that strategy. While constantly hampering the stability of the Taiwan Straits, the US policy deliberately ignores the efforts of "Taiwan independence" forces to unilaterally change the status quo.

Since the mid-1990s the US has sharply increased arms sales to Taiwan not only in quantity but also in quality. This policy has become the key factor to which the rapid growth of the Taiwan separatist forces is attributed.

It is due to the advanced weapons provided by the United States that pro-independence forces in Taiwan dare go farther and farther on the road of separation and continue to stoke political disputes with the mainland.

It is because of US intervention by means of providing arms that cross-Straits peace and stability as well as the structure of dialogue and exchanges have been constantly broken and the situation in the Straits has become increasingly tense.

Therefore, US arms sales to Taiwan have already become the biggest political poker chip of the separatists in Taiwan bent on changing the status quo.

Some pro-Taiwan elements in the United States claim that arms sales to Taiwan is a huge-sum "political cheque" given to Taiwan.

Avoiding sending "clear signals" to both sides across the Taiwan Straits so as to ensure its own interests, the policy of "ambiguity" is the basic stance adopted by the US Government on the Taiwan question.

From the perspective of the US Government, supporting China's reunification is obviously not in its strategic interests. Due to the huge political and military risks, supporting "Taiwan independence" does not conform to its interests, either. Hence, the US attempts to find a point of balance between the two sides by promoting a policy of "ambiguity."

However, there are three pitfalls in this tact.

First, it underestimates the Chinese people's determination and wisdom to ultimately resolve the Taiwan question and realize complete reunification of the motherland.

Second, the policy of "ambiguity" proves to be ineffective in restraining the pro-independence forces in Taiwan, whose repeated attempts to split the country make it difficult to maintain the "status quo."

Third, by pursuing a policy of "ambiguity," the United States has not only failed to realize its strategic attempt to dominate the situation in the Taiwan Straits but also bogged itself down in the political quagmire of "Taiwan independence."

Opposing the use of force by the Chinese mainland is a firm and clear-cut position of the United States. But with this position, Washington cannot reach the goal of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Straits as it is the pro-independence forces in Taiwan rather than the Chinese mainland that poses a threat to peace and stability.

Some American experts have noted the only reason for the rapid worsening of the situation in the Straits is the unilateral risks by Chen Shui-bian, who is the most severe challenge to the US. The fact that the Taiwan authorities, upgrading their own position by relying upon foreign countries, attempt to "resist reunification by means of force" and to "seek independence by means of force" is the largest threat to peace across the Taiwan Straits.

To the United States, Taiwan's separatist forces are undoubtedly a "double-edged sword," which not only provides the United States a token to contain the Chinese mainland but also poses a challenge to US strategic interests.

Since the mid-1990s, pro-independence forces in Taiwan have been growing beyond US control.

If Washington continues its large-scale arms sales to Taiwan, Taiwan will become the "tomb-digger" of US interests in the Asia Pacific instead of what they call the "unsinkable aircraft carrier."

(China Daily 05/10/2004 page6)